


Respect

by Jetaime18647



Category: The 100 (TV), The 100 Series - Kass Morgan
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Brooklyn Nine Nine references aglore, Cop!Lincoln, F/F, F/M, I am basing most cop stuff off of Brooklyn Nine Nine, Just to be safe, M/M, Roommates, a brief mention of a relationship between a 17 year old and a 22 year old, cop!bellamy, i am tagging this to be safe, i hope people read the tags, i mention it before the chapter as well, mentions of underage relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-03
Updated: 2016-07-10
Packaged: 2018-07-19 23:05:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7381174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jetaime18647/pseuds/Jetaime18647
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When growing up with a sibling in such close age, there’s a few rules that develop over time.</p><p>1. Stick together.</p><p>2. We can pick on each other; but anyone else who does gets put into the ground</p><p>3. Friends of your sibling are OFF LIMITS.</p><p>Bellamy and Octavia Blake never knew how hard that last one would be until Octavia’s new roommate Clarke had a smile that left Bellamy braindead and Bellamy’s new partner on the force, Lincoln, wandered into Bellamy’s apartment all shirtless and shit with Octavia having a front seat to the show.</p><p>Having a close bond with your sibling had ups and downs; but in the end it was all about respect.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Roommates and Rookies

At this rate, Octavia would just take anyone who wasn’t overtly crazy. 

At age 22, she knew it was time to move out of the family home. Her brother initially disagreed claiming that despite the city’s charm, it was too dangerous for her to move out on her own. He should know best, he claimed, while brandishing his detective badge. She argued, the city was dangerous whether she lived in the classic Blake home or in an apartment closer to the campus, so what did it matter anyway? Eventually they came to an agreement; she could move out but only if she found a roommate and potentially a dog. 

The biggest issue was finding a roommate.

She had already found the apartment thankfully enough. It was a smaller two bedroom about 3 miles from campus. She could bike to school for her Master’s courses when the Fall Term rolled around in two weeks. It was nestled in a quiet community with a low crime rate, which she checked BEFORE Bellamy even had the chance to bug her, and it was just perfect. She just needed a roommate to both afford it and to get Bell off her back.

He meant well. 

He cared.

He just cared too much, sometimes. Ever since mom died-

 _No._  

Octavia refocused on the notes in front of her. This wasn’t the time for that line of thinking. Unfortunately, her friends had actually situated for the year. Monty and Miller became all domestic and moved in with one another in March and Raven was a no go claiming a need for her own space following her breakup a few months back. Jasper wasn’t an option after the previous February, whatsoever. This left Octavia in her current position of just completing three failed interviews of potential roommates and one more interview left to go for the evening. She had hopes that posting some ads around the campus would attract her university’s brightest. She was sadly mistaken.

Her interviews weren’t bad, just strange.

The first one was an older gentlemen who kept alluding to being a quote sugar daddy unquote. 

The second one asked her if she knew for certain that there was no animal products in her skincare regime and propelled herself into a rant about how the government was sneaking chemicals into all products to control the masses.

The third one was just stoned out of his mind.

Octavia buried her face into her hands. The worst part is, no one could recognize the show her shirt was from. She looked dejectedly down at the garden gnome barfing up rainbows and knew no one could appreciate art. 

Kill her now.

_Knock Knock_

Octavia looked up from her pile of self-pity on the couch. Shuffling around the papers, she finally found the contact info of her last roommate interview of the day.

_Clarke Griffin._

She gathered her strength before trudging over to the door. She pulled it open and plastered on a smile through the exhaustion.

“Hi! It’s Clarke, right?”

The girl on the other side was momentarily stunned before smiling herself. Blonde curls framed her face and her eyes lit up a bit.  Octavia held out her hand and the girl shook with a firm grip.

“Yup. First and foremost, I love the shirt. Gravity Falls will always be one of my favorites right up there with Full Metal Alchemist. Did you guess who the author was though?”

She complimented her shirt.

She had good tastes in shows.

Octavia began to feel a burden lift off her shoulders.

_She was saved._

* * *

 

_He was screwed._

The captain loomed over his desk following asking if his instructions were clear enough. For a moment, he was happy that he cleaned his space for once before he arrived. The usual flurry of paperwork had been neatly organized into sections following a stray teasing comment from Atom. The picture of him and Octavia following his police academy graduation was tucked behind the completed pile.  Bellamy Blake looked back down at his assignment in front of him in stunned silence. He had gone through it twice and was still unable to process what was being forced down upon him.

The Captain was giving him a rookie detective.

“Captain, I’m not sure this is a good idea.”

Captain Kane’s eyes narrowed. Bellamy sank a bit into his chair. His desk in the corner of the precinct floor seemed cramped as Captain Kane’s presence invaded. Standing over his desk, he seemed to tower over Bellamy. His eyes offered only mild interest in the person in front of him.

“Why?”

The captain smirked while waiting for Bellamy to hang himself.

“I’ve only been a detective for two years sir; surely, you would want someone with more experience or-“

“In those two years, you have held a record for most arrests for the past six months in counting. Before that, you were a dedicated officer whom managed to work and complete a bachelor’s in criminal justice with a minor in education. You have poured countless hours into case files making sure your job was done correctly the first time and have excelled. I shall ask you again, why do you believe you are not a good candidate?”

The captain’s eyes betrayed no emotion; his mouth, however, had the smallest hint of a smirk.

Bellamy had no response.

“Your ‘rookie’ is currently on the first floor in records finishing up his transfer documentation. I suggest going downstairs and greeting an Officer Lincoln Woods. You are dismissed, Detective Blake.”

Bellamy made a quick exit for the elevators. Atom, who’s desk was located to the left across the aisle from Bellamy and witnessed the whole thing, offered only the smallest noise of sympathy before returning to his work. He was almost free when he heard a snort from his _favorite_ civilian administrator. Looking back, Raven offered up a face of mild pity before returning to her phone.

He couldn’t remember the last time he saw her work.

He got into the elevator and looked through the open doors straight to her desk. She was talking animatedly to her cellphone. The light from the window by his desk was hitting her hair and when she leaned back to laugh, it gave an almost halo effect. He hadn’t seen her laugh like that in a long time.

His mind flashed back to _that_ night. When getting drunk off wine seemed like a brilliant idea and Raven was happy to provide the bottles. When his clothes were too restricting but he wanted hers off even more. A night of steady thuds against his wall, screams of pleasure and the repeated mantra of yes…yes…yes…

Until, the morning that is when all those yeses became a solid singular no.

_No._

_No making me breakfast._

_I don’t want…a thing._

_I don’t want a thing with anyone._

_This was a one time thing, okay?_

He pressed the button for floor one. Looking back up, he saw Raven giving him a small thumbs up before going back to her phone call.

_He needed a drink._

* * *

 

_She didn’t need another drink._

That fact didn’t stop Octavia from pouring.

Clarke laughed into the fruity mixture Octavia made for her. When this stopped being a roommate interview and turned into a girl’s night she wasn’t sure but she sure as hell wasn’t complaining. It probably happened somewhere between Clarke admitting she had never seen The Arrow and when they began taking sips every time there was a gratuitous ab shot or Felicity proved to be too good for anyone on the show to deserve her.

The house was beautiful, it was shame this wasn’t where she was vying to live. Octavia mentioned in passing it was her family’s home. The large wooden home tucked in the back of lane seemed both haunting and warm oddly enough. It was two stories and was cradled by the woods surrounding it. It opened up straight into a family room with a nearby kitchen and nook to the right. A few rooms were along a hallway behind the kitchen; however the majority of the back wall was a grand staircase that took you to the second floor. She could see a few rooms from the couch in the living room and presumed upper stairs had all the bedrooms. From the couch you could turn and see almost the entirety of the home from kitchen to bed.

The walls were ordained with evidence of life. Pictures of Octavia littered the walls; from ballet to judo she seemed to do it all. When she had snuck off to the bathroom, she noticed notches in the corner. When gaining a closer look she saw all of them were labeled with Octavia followed by an age.

_A growth chart._

She found the smallest notch.

Octavia, age 3.

The notch was barely three feet off the ground and she could just picture how excited she must have been. This home seemed to be full of life and memories, why would Octavia ever want to leave it? It almost seemed like a dream. Clarke mused that everyone had their reasons. She certainly had her reasons for leaving not only home but one side of the country entirely.

Following another gloriously ab-filled episode completion, Octavia called the attention back onto her and not the 8 second countdown on Netflix.

_Seriously Netflix, you know I’m still watching. I have no life._

“Before, we have too much fun, we have to get back to the interview. I swear, I only have a few questions left.”

Clarke leaned back into the couch adjusting the pillows to be just right.

“Hit me.”

“Any drugs?”

“Nah, not my style.”

“Are you okay with friends coming over and small parties? Or should that be moved outside at all costs?”

“As long as no one breaks anything, steals anything, or does anything in my bed without me being involved, all is fair.”

Octavia had a good snort at that.

“If I got a dog later down the line, would you be okay with that.”

Clarke’s face lite up once more.

“Could we get a Corgi?”

Octavia bit her bottom lip, “I was thinking a guard dog, maybe?”

Clarke brushed her hand back and forth, “They protect the Queen of England, what could be more safe?”

She managed to hold a straight face for all of two seconds before Octavia’s confusion left her in a state of laughter. It seemed to infect Octavia as well, who soon joined her in a laughing fit.

Octavia was struggling to compose herself, “Okay—okay---“she giggled once more before composing herself. “Any habits that you feel you should get out of the way before committing to live with someone?”

Clarke scrunched her face up into a theatrical over the top thinking pose. After a full minute of silence she dropped her bomb.

“I eat more chocolate than can ever be considered socially acceptable when on my period. I become a chocolate void.”

Octavia leaned over and put a hand on her knee in sympathy. She looked into her eyes with a twitching bottom lip as if she was going to deliver devastating news.

“Let’s pray we never sync up or else our grocery bill will become outrageous with our combined occupations as chocolate voids.”

Clarke snorted.

The night was easy after that. The girls laugh and drank, switching to water later on in the evening so Clarke could drive home, and parted ways around 10:30.

Octavia walked her to her car. “So, would you like to see the actual apartment this Sunday afternoon?”

Clarke looked over to the girl who seemed to be on edge. Her hands gripped the bottom of her shirt and she swung her left leg back and forth in an attempt to appear casual. Clarke shot her a small smile.

As if she would turn down her first chance for freedom.

“That sounds great, I’m sure I’ll love it, I trust you picked a great place.”

Octavia blushed a lovely shade of pink before wishing her off.

Clarke pulled out of the driveway never feeling happier.

She was going to do this on her own without her mother or Finn to hold her back. Rolling down her windows, she let the wind whip around and let out a scream of joy.

_No one could stop me._

* * *

 

_Someone should stop me._

Detective Blake had looked at him as if he had grown two heads.

Lincoln wasn’t sure if he hadn’t.

He had been just recently completed his final exams before his tentative promotion and was given a grand total of one week to pack. His former captain, Captain Indra, told him that unfortunately due to shortages at their own location, he would be shipped off to a neighboring town an hour north to complete his year shadowing. Between moving, paperwork and the lack of sleep he was already experiencing due to studying for his exam, he was a time bomb waiting to explode in an overworked mush.

All he did was compliment the picture of him and a cute brunette on his desk and asked if that was his girlfriend.

If Detective Blake could look anymore disgusted in that moment, he would be amazed.

“That’s my sister.”

Oh.

OH

_Please click here to insert foot into mouth._

Lincoln put down the picture frame and offered a half smile, “Sorry, Detective Blake.”

Detective Blake grumbled while combing his hair back with his hand, “Not off to a great start with that whole detecting things. I mean we look a lot alike.”

Looking back he could see it. The same square jaw, same thick eyebrows and box nose. Both looked up at the camera at an angle that was clear that Detective Blake was the one holding it up. His sister had one arm around his back while the other was in what he hoped to be a pseudo gang sign. Detective Blake, smirked up at the camera holding his diploma in his free hand.

Both wore matching smiles like they had a secret to share and they weren’t going to tell you any time soon. That type of sneaky smile shared between siblings who had just pulled something over on their mother.

Lincoln refused to squirm in his seat.

Detective Blake let out a sigh before sitting at his desk. He rolled his chair back and grabbed a free chair and brought it over next to his desk. Lincoln took the seat offered to him.

“First things first, no need for the Detective label every time we speak. Just last name, Blake. We are partners for the rest of the year, may as well act like it. “

Lincoln nodded in agreement, “Alright, Blake. What’s second?”

“Second following this conversation, namely following you agreeing to rule three, we are going to go for a ride around so we can get familiar with the city. How do you feel about stopping for Wendy’s for a burger?”

“Prefer Burger King but Wendy’s is a close favorite.” Lincoln shifted in his chair becoming more comfortable with this line of questions, “And number three?”

Blake’s body went still as he looked Lincoln in the eye.

“My ‘cute’ sister,” his eyes narrowed while sizing up Lincoln,” comes by every other morning on her way to work. She’s off limits to everyone in this building. No exceptions. Do I make myself perfectly clear?”

Blake’s gaze let no room for questions or doubt.

His sister was off limits and that was law.

Lincoln’s eyes looked back to the photo on Blake’s desk.

“Off limits, all clear.”

Blake’s form loosen and he cracked a smile. He rose from the desk and stretched himself out with a groan about aching muscles and old age. Out of the corner of his eye, a pretty girl working the administrative desk rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“Rise and shine Woods, we gotta introduce you to the wild streets of New Haven.”

Blake rolled his shoulders and made his way to the elevator, signaling the captain of his departure. Lincoln risked another glace towards the photo. Her smile was teasing and he couldn’t help but wonder about her. She was very cute but he thought back to Blake’s piercing no nonsense glare---probably wasn’t cute enough to be killed over. Despite that though, when he entered the elevator with Blake, he still wondered what secret she was hiding behind that smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well here's the first chapter of my first work posted on the archive. I used to do write a bunch of works back in the days of fanficiton.net and now I am trying to set up here. I am usually a one-shot author but this story clawed at me. So let me know what you guys think in the comment section below. 
> 
> I'm not sure if I should continue and feedback would be lovely. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	2. Late Night Talks and Meet Cute

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Octavia and Clarke grow closer and Bellamy recites part of The Iliad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter does contain references to a brief relationship between someone who is 17 and 22. I have included this in the tags but felt it was wise to mention and potentially warn in the beginning tag.

“ _PLEASE,_ LIFT WITH YOUR LEGS!” Clarke shouted from across her new apartment, “Just because I am a med-student does NOT mean I wish to treat any of you!”

Octavia’s friend laughed her off but Clarke wasn’t quite sure risking back injuries was worth the jab at her. He and Octavia’s female friend, Harper, lift the couch and almost back straight into a window. That’s one thing about this place, she and Octavia are going to have to invest in curtains because it’s filled with windows. A small bay window with cushioned seating rests next to the front door and expands out to wide open living room with wood flooring, the flooring is of course fake but it looks real enough. The kitchen is practically empty at the moment with only a few stainless steel appliances reflecting back onto you and a small window over the stove pointing towards the apartment’s pool. Octavia already has plans to fix this “major issue” of lack of acceptable kitchen designs and has been googling for the past 15 minutes while her cookies backed.  A small dining area rests between the kitchen and living room where, surprise surprise, two 8-foot tall windows give view to the back of the apartment complex. A small hall separates both Clarke’s and Octavia’s room from the rest of the main traffic area of the home.

Despite its need for curtains in every way and form, Clarke loved the feel of her new home. It was light and homey and it was theirs.  

She and Octavia moved into their new place a week after settling the paperwork. Well, she had moved in a week after. Octavia had her car loaded to begin moving when arriving to sign the year lease. She seemed almost desperate to move.

Clarke wasn’t so lucky.

All of her belongings had to be shipped from her home in Virginia. Her dramatic exit from her former life as Senate princess didn’t exactly leave her much time to pack. For the two weeks she had been staying in a hotel a few miles out of town with her small Toyota, aptly named Lucky, filled with all the belongings she could fit in before her mother could attempt to talk her down from going to school in Oregon.

She needed this.

Her mother would understand, eventually.

Maybe not now as conversations halted to a few sporadic and curt phone calls but perhaps in the future. Because that’s what needed to be focused on, the future. Not a past of promise rings and the twisted metal remains of a car upon wrapping around a lone tree. Her future was in front of her…

It was just past Octavia’s friend, his name is Monty she believes, attempts to ruin his back before he was 25.

“Seriously, honey, you are going to give that doctor a stroke.” One of the other boys, Miller she guesses, claims while rolling his eyes. “I refuse to taxi anyone to the hospital.”

Clarke smiles and tosses the boy, Miller, a beer. He by no means deserves it. In the past twenty minutes, he has decided to take on the role of “supervisor” and simply direct the others carrying her belongings about the house. Clarke has taken a liking to him as she, following organizing her room with the assistance of Harper, has also has taken to directing others where to place the furniture while sitting down for the first time in hours.

She mentally promises herself to buy a beer for Harper, Monty, Miller and…. the other one, when she gets the opportunity.

“Has anyone seen, Bell?” Octavia strolls in from the kitchen with a tray of cookies. Clarke can’t help to be impressed; their kitchen is bare bones at the moment and the fact that anything can be derived from it deserves applause in it of itself.

“Station!” a man from calls out from down the hall and Octavia rolls her eyes. From what Clarke has gathered, as no one has directly told her anything, this Bell is Octavia’s brother. Whether he is older or younger has not been made clear to her yet but everyone seems to know him. A male, she’s assuming he’s the one that shouted, comes out from Octavia’s room and turns his gaze immediately onto her.

Clarke is 80% sure his name is Neuron.

Clarke is 100% sure he has a thing for Octavia.

In the hour he has been here, his late arrival was due to working on a case for most of the night and waking up late, his eyes have combed over every inch of Octavia twice and Clarke isn’t sure if Octavia simply doesn’t notice or if she simply doesn’t want to notice.

It wasn’t her issue, she supposed.

“Is this good?” Harper asked placing the couch against the wall. Octavia quickly surveys the room. She shoots Clarke a nod in approval.

“Yah, that’s good. And with that, we are all done!”

Monty cheers in excitement while Harper takes the opportunity to flop down to the couch in exhaustion. They had been moving the last of Octavia’s furniture and Clarke’s room for the better part of the day and despite the last couple of boxes in her room, they were officially moved in. Deciding to leave the boxes in her room for another day, they waste the remainder of the day on Netflix and chilling.

But not Netflix and chill.

Despite what Proton (she’s 10% sure it may be Proton and not Neuron) may desire, there is no Netflix and chill going on that evening. They end up watching a new Netflix original based on some anime from the 80s she’s never heard of called, Voltron Legendary Defenders. It takes Monty and Miller all of 40 minutes to flock to Shiro as their new animated leader and it goes great until Miller makes a joke of calling Shiro, “space daddy.”

Harper rolls her eyes and huffs, “Don’t make me kinkshame.”

Octavia snorts, “Too late, you can’t kinkshame those with no shame.” She throws some popcorn as him for good measure. The hours roll by and as it turns out, Clarke really does like Octavia’s friends and they seem to have let her into the group with no questions asked. Monty and Miller are hilarious (despite the need to be kinkshamed at some points). Harper is a sweetheart who gives and takes no shit if judging by her comments to, “shoot Lance in the dick” every time the blue paladin wandered into fuck-boy territory. Neuron (she should stick to what’s she’s 80% sure his name is) is quieter and keeps to himself; except when he seems to think Octavia may be watching, then all bets are off.

The atmosphere is quiet and reminds her of late nights with Wells.

_I should call him…._

Just as the thought passes through her synapses her phone _dings_ with a text message. It’s not from Wells though.

**Raven**

_U up?_

Raven and Clarke had formed…a tentative friendship in light of the events that occurred. Clarke wasn’t sure they could ever truly be friends, part of her wanted to but didn’t know how to approach it, but she was thankful to have Raven in her corner at the end of the day. Even with the strange formation of their relationship, she supported her choice to move. Hell, she even helped her find a place to live cheaply for two weeks while looking for an apartment. Before she left Virginia, Wells even asked her why she didn’t consider asking Raven to be her roommate. She simply asked if he would ever be comfortable living with someone who ended his five-year relationship.

Wells took that moment to become very interested in the dirt on his shoes and away from Clarke’s blank expression.

**Clarke**

_Yah, all moved in. What’s up?_

**_Raven_ **

_Already? Sorry I couldn’t help, work n shit._

_This text is a heads up_

_He called me_

The air stilled around Clarke for a moment. The constant in and out of her lungs ceased as her body stilled with the information provided in front of her. He wasn’t supposed to call. They told him to lose their numbers and die that night. She had even changed her number upon moving to one with an Oregon area code for good measure. He was supposed to take the hint and fade from both of their lives for good.

**_Clarke_ **

_Did u answer?_

Three little dots appeared in the bottom of the screen. For a full minute and twenty seconds they blinked. For Clarke the world had stilled but looking around she could see how the world kept moving without her. A particularly interesting fight had gotten everyone’s attention as Harper cried out, “Keith SAVE YOUR BOYFRIEND! I CAN’T LOSE HALF MY SHIP TO AN AIR-LOCK!” Neuron and Octavia chatted about work as Octavia tried to pry information regarding her brother out of Neuron. Monty and Miller cheered at a sword fight that was occurring between the red paladin, Keith, and one of the robots from earlier.

For one minute and twenty seconds her world stopped as everyone else’s moved on.

It was a familiar feeling, unfortunately.

The bubble disappeared after over a minute of typing and for a few moments her screen was blank. Raven’s reply was so quick and short the typing bubbles barely had a chance to form a second time.

**_Raven_ **

_No_

Clarke wasn’t sure if she believed her but she had no right to pry.

**_Clarke_ **

_That’s good, Don’t. He’s not worth it._

**_Raven_ **

_Easy for you to say._

_I’ve known him since I was a kid_

_It’s just hard to just_

_Cut him off, ya know?_

**_Clarke_ **

_He’s still a major dick_

**_Raven_ **

_The biggest_

_Just, he was always there and now he’s gone._

_It sucks_

Clarke’s will crumbles for a moment and she lets herself remember to last August. To her mother’s frantic calls that her dad had been in an accident. He was there in the morning and he was gone that evening. She snaps back to reality when Octavia pokes her side.

“Who’s that?” She glances over her shoulder trying to see the text messages. “Is it a boy?” She asks with a slight tease in her tone.

Clarke’s together enough to stick her tongue out at her, “No just a friend.”

**Clarke**

_Yah, I know. Sorry._

**Raven**

_Yah. Thanks._

_Anyway this is a warning._

_Tell me if he contacts you_

_Cause then we’ll fuck him up_

**_Clarke_ **

_Got it_

She tries to get back into the show but her mind is still reeling at the _nerve_ of that boy to contact Raven after all these months. By this point, Harper and Miller have declared the blue paladin Lance, the one with fuck-boy tendencies, and Keith, the one Clarke fully believes with no evidence supporting it shops at Hot Topic, as their one true pairing to Atom’s (Octavia whines his name when he can’t give her any useful information on her brother’s whereabouts and Clarke questions how she arrived at Neuron in the first place) annoyance. The show has the nerve to end with a cliff-hanger that demands a second season and shortly after a fairly in-depth speculation of what the next season could hold, the crowd begins to head on out.

Atom sticks around later than everyone else and Clarke excuses herself to take a shower. When she comes back, Octavia is making a to-do list for tomorrow.

Clarke can’t contain her curiosity, “So you and Atom….” She trails off hoping Octavia will understand what she’s putting down.

Octavia gets it and scoffs at the notion, “Only in his dreams. Besides even if I wanted to, which I once again do not, he’s a no fly.”

Clarke’s raised eyebrow.

Octavia grumbles and pats the spot next to the couch. Clarke launches herself over the back of the couch and gets comfortable. While she settles Octavia pulls her knees to her chest and buries her face in them.

“Back I was a senior, I was friends with this girl named Gina. I was 17 and idealistic and she was 18 and sarcastic as all hell. We met in art club and I’m not sure why, we just….clicked.”

Clarke bit the inside of her mouth, “Is this you coming out?” Octavia’s head snaps over in her direction with a look of pure confusion on her face. “Because I’m bi and you **_really_** don’t have to worry.”

Her head tilts to the side and she squints at Clarke as if investigating her. “Nope, I’m straight. At least, I think I am.” He lips scrunch together before she just shrugs.

“Anyways, Gina and I were good friends, and just friends, when I invited her over to my place to work on a big art project we were doing. And that’s when she met my brother.”

Clarke hears her growl before she thinks Octavia even registers she’s doing it.

“Suddenly, she wanted to come over all the time and she just drooled **EVERYWHERE** over him.” She rolled her eyes. “Then the most bullshitty moment ever, she went over to my house **WITHOUT ME** and just hung out with him while I was out running errands with the vice president of the art club. Two days later my brother, who’s two years older than her, asks me if it would be okay to ask her out.”

“What did you say?”

She lets out a noise that could only be described as a dying walrus, “I said yes to be a good sister and friend.”

Clarke could guess where this was going, “I’m guessing their relationship was a mess.”

She didn’t immediately respond choosing instead to bury herself in her knees, “No, their relationship was happy as could be. I hadn’t seen my brother smile that much in ages.”

That caught her off guard, “Then what happened?”

“I fucked up.” The words spit out from her mouth like acid. “I fucked up hard because I _had the nerve_ to believe that it went both ways. I mean, if he can date my friends why couldn’t I date his?”

Throwing her arms up incredulously, she flicked her head to Clarke as if asking for backup.

Clarke shifted in her spot a bit, “Yah, that makes sense.”

She brought her arms down with a thud. “It was stupid. When we graduated Gina and I had a mutual graduation party. Some of Bell’s friends brought alcohol cause they _fucking could_ and I snuck some while he wasn’t looking. I ended up getting tipsy in my room with one of his friends, Murphy.”

Separating her knees, she put her head between them so Clarke couldn’t see her face.

“Murphy was, “she hesitated a bit, “… ** _is_** an idiot. An idiot who shoots guns while drunk off his ass. Who has a massive chip on his shoulder and at 22 had no problems getting drunk with a 17-year-old. But back then? He was everything a 17-year-old too scared to rebel but always wanted to could want. We ended up making out in my bed.”

Her voice grew small and fragile.

“We didn’t do anything.” She huffed and slowly tipped herself over and fell onto her side of the couch. “I—I, just wasn’t ready for that kinda thing yet. Ya know?” She shrugged against the cushions.

She continued on without waiting for a reply, “I woke up a few hours later to his arms around me and it felt _nice_.” She buried her face into the cushions, “And we thought, hell maybe we could try. But I wanted to do things right, so that night we asked Bell if he would be okay if we dated.”

“And…”

She shot up in a flurry of curls and rage, “He went _ballistic_!” She let out a noticeable growl before she continued, “He had the nerve to say that I WASN’T ALLOWED TO DATE HIM!”

This caught Clarke’s attention, “Wait, what does he mean you weren’t allowed? You were like 18 by that point?”

“I was 2 weeks shy of 18 at the moment and when Murphy let it slip that we had kissed the night before HE PUNCHED HIM THE JAW!”

“WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK”

“I KNOW!” Octavia huffed and crossed her arms, “He kept throwing out the word statutory and I had to get between them before it got even bloodier.” Octavia flopped back down onto her back with a groan.

“And then?”

“Then I made a bad situation worse by getting Gina involved. I told her what happened and she got pissed. Not at me though, at Bell. Suddenly their happy relationship is on the rocks and all they could do is fight about how he treats me. Apparently I was a topic of discussion for longer than I care to know between them. Then I decide to just say fuck it and the night after I turn 18, I snuck out and made-out with Murphy in a truck bed.”

Clarke groaned, “You didn’t…”

“I did.” Octavia signed. “Everything started getting worse and worse by the nanosecond. Gina and him went south fast and I was sneaking out all the time. Wanna know the worst part, though?” Octavia propped herself up on her elbows to look at Clarke. “Murphy was a _complete_ ass. He made the worst jokes, was low-key sexist and laughed at me when I jumped the first time he took me shooting. Honestly, if Bell would have just let me date him I probably would have dumped him within the month tops. But because he said no…”

“You had to prove him wrong.”

Octavia grumbled, “I cut off my own nose to say ‘fuck you’ to my face. Eventually it all exploded when Bell caught me with my panties down and a head between my legs.”

Clarke was caught between a laugh and pure horror.

Octavia nodded in agreement while beginning to turn as red as a tomato, “Yup that’s something that happened in my life. Long story short, Murphy and I broke up soon afterwards because I couldn’t date someone to spite Bell anymore and honestly I think Murphy wanted Bell’s friendship more than me. Not like that ever happened, to this day I don’t think they talk anymore.”

“What about him and Gina?”

“I….I broke that relationship.” Octavia admitted. “I made Gina pick a side and it caused their relationship to fracture. Even after everything was said and done…..to this day Gina tells me that they broke up because of differences between them and it had nothing to do with me. But I also know that Gina hated how Bell acted around me. How he always put me first before her and how his inner asshole came out in the whole situation. No matter what she says…I know it’s my fault.”

Before she can wallow in pity any farther, Clarke places a reassuring hand on her calf. “Sweetie, it was their relationship, it was their problems. I don’t think you have the right to blame yourself. Your brother sounds like a grade A ass.”

Octavia makes the smallest noise in disagreement, “But he isn’t. When mom died, when I was 16 and he was 19, he dropped out of school to make sure I could stay and finish out high school here and not with our grandmother.  Even when mom was alive, he always put me first over everything. Bell’s a great guy he’s just…he’s just…”

“He just hurt you by not trusting your judgement.” Clarke supplements.

“I mean, I get it. I was 17 and he was 22…”

“Doesn’t matter.” Clarke states with finality before backtracking, “I mean it does matter, I don’t know the legality of that even in this state so he may have a case there but he should have explained to you why he thought it was a bad idea and spoken to you on an equal level before going caveman mode and forbidding you to date him. He didn’t have to punch his friend in the jaw to get his point across. His blind anger only drove you into his arms, anyways, so really it was not only a dick move but a stupid one as well. “

“At the end of the day, it doesn’t really manner” Octavia sighed. “By the time the summer let up, Gina made the choice to go to some fancy art school out in Portland and she and Bell were over before August even rolled around. We were both left single and burned by the whole experience. After that, we made a pact. Since Bell can’t handle himself and I am the doom-bringer of relationships, we made a pact to never date each other’s friends ever again.” Octavia rolled over on the couch to smile up at Clarke.

“Sorry if you ever wanted to date Bell, but he’s officially _off limits_ as you are not only friend but roommate.”

Clarke rolled her eyes, “He sounds like a prick. Trust me, I will never want to date your brother.”

Octavia let out a hollow laugh.

“Good to hear, also question.”

“Potential answer.”

“Do you want to head over to the mall tomorrow? I found a shop we could get curtains for cheap and prevent out neighbors from seeing our late night bonding sessions.” Octavia made a point to turn and cuddle into Clarke’s lap.

Letting out a laugh, Clarke agreed to the mornings adventures while mentally attempting to prepare herself.

_Oh goodie the mall on an early Saturday morning, what could be better?_

\--

_Oh goodie the mall on an early Saturday morning, what could be worst?_

After a long shift at work, the _last_ thing Bellamy wanted was to be at the mall. However, his sister Octavia had other plans. After guilt tripping him for not showing up to help her move yesterday, he had spent the whole day with Lincoln and promptly passed out when getting back to the now much quieter Blake family home, he was now given the lovely job of helping pick up and install curtains for her new apartment.

She sweetened the deal by saying he could finally meet her roommate.

He wasn’t told much about her, just that she liked the same shows she did, she was a med-student at the university, and that from what Octavia had witness so far she gave and took no fucks whatsoever.

If he had it his way, he would have met her before Octavia signed a yearlong commitment with her but Lincoln was taking up all his time at the precinct. Every detail had to be explained and every protocol laid down to prevent any future sloppy handling. Lincoln was a quick study, thankfully, it was just tedious.

**Little Sis**

_At mall. Where you at?_

Honestly, it was too early for this whole adventure (10AM on a Saturday???) and he decided to mess with her.

**Bellamy**

_New phone, who dis?_

**Little Sis**

_Someone with access to your baby photos and friends who would love to see them_

He hands were tied.

**Bellamy**

_Hey sis, how are you?_

**Little Sis**

_Good big brother_

_Heading to food court_

_Meet us there_

Bellamy tucked his phone in his pocket and ran to the opposite side of the mall. When he finally got to the food court, Octavia was nowhere to be seen. Even better, the mall was already alive with bustling families and left no place to sit that wasn’t itches away from a screaming toddler or kissing couple.

_Shoot me now._

He wandered towards the edge of the food court by the bathrooms trying to decide whether or not to text Tavia or not. That’s when he saw salvation. A woman managed to secure a long table right next to the woman’s restroom that held no kissing couples nor toddlers in sight.  Golden locks were tied back into a low hanging ponytail and her attention was deep into something in front of her. He was already on the other side of her table before he thought of what to say.

“Um, excuse me?”

She looked up and Bellamy’s breath was taken away.

Cute little freckles adorned her nose and almond brown eyes looked up in confusion from her work.

“Yes?” She titled her head a bit to the side while biting her lower lip.

“Um…” It was then that Bellamy released that for the first time in years, he was completely tongue tied by a pretty face. He grabbed the chair to bring himself back to reality, “I was wondering if I could sit here? If that’s okay with you.”

She bit down on her lip mulling it over before nodding, “I won’t be here much longer so sure.”

Bellamy sat down and the girl busied herself with the page in front of her once more. He didn’t want to be nosey, but on closer examination he saw that it was a sketchbook and he was curious by nature.

“What are you drawing?”

She froze and he feared he may have said the wrong thing already. She looked back up and actually looked a bit flustered.

“Oh, it’s nothing.” The bridge of her nose was tinged with pink and she continued, “My friend just woke me up at fuck-ass-early o’clock for a mall adventure and while we were outside I noticed these crazy flowers lining the mall. I figured, I draw them while she’s busy.”

“Can I see?”

She smiles a bit and pushes the sketchbook over to him. “I only just started about 20 minutes ago and I’m doing it from memory so it’s still pretty rough right now.”

Bellamy is taken back. While yes the sketch is still in a rough state, it’s still better than he could do in a few hours. A small bundle of lilies graces the page all while interwoven around, what he presumes, a tree branch. Without darkening the lines, the petals look soft and wistful. Petals fall at the edge of the page with some erased and redrawn multiple times.

It’s still a sketch and he can already see the beginnings of a wonderful peace.

“Damn, this is better than I could ever do.” He slides the sketchbook back to her, “Are you an art student?”

She laughs a bit, “No, my father just thought it was always good to keep your hands busy and he supported the arts back home.”

Bellamy snorted, “He sounds like a man after my sister’s heart. She used to campaign with her Art Club all the time to protect the arts.”

She smiled, “They would have gotten along swimmingly. I’m actually a med-student though. Art is just something I have always used to get things out, yah know?”

She smiles and Bell refuses to get lost in it. An alarm bell is ringing in his head but he cannot place it just yet. “I get it. I usually read myself.”

This catches her attention as she folds up the sketchbook. “What do you like to read?”

“History.”

Her eyes light up and he can tell she’s holding back a comment.

“Whaaat? I even got an award for it in high school.”

The smallest giggle escapes her, “For what?”

“Reciting the most of The Iliad from memory.”

She has the nerve to burst into laughter, “You nerd!”

Bellamy doesn’t know whether to be offended by her laughter or drawn into it. His pride decides offended is the best route.

He huffs, “Hey no need to laugh right in my face there-“

“Clarke.”

His rambles stop short as she manages to control herself.

“Sorry for laughing. I just didn’t expect a cute guy to compliment my work and then drop he memorized The Iliad for fun.”

Against his better judgement, he pouts. “I did it for a history scholar award. Came with a scholarship and everything.”

She smiles but in a way that he can’t place if she’s flirting or laughing at him still, “Well that makes a world of difference there.”

“It does, I had a choice. Memorize the most of a piece of literature I already loved and give up freedom with my friends for two months to do so but end in a blaze of glory for winning or to remain indifferent and let that money and glory go to someone else. Much like the choice Achilles had to make…”

“Oh really?” She leans a bit forward and smirks, “How so my good history nerd?”

Bellamy meets her lean in with his own and goes back into the farthest reaches of his memory. “Mother tells me, the immortal goddess Thetis with her glistening feet, that two fates bear me on to the day of death. If I hold out here and I lay siege to Troy, my journey home is gone, but my glory never dies. If I voyage back to the fatherland I love, my pride, my glory dies…” He shoots a grin at her astonishment. “Achilles chose to go to Troy and die for his glory to live on, rather than to go home and have his glory die. While my choice was less dramatic, a choice is a choice.”

“Well then.” Her gusto flusters a bit and she seems to realize how close they’ve gotten. She leans back and her entire face is now a lovely rose color. “I guess I’ve been had Mr. History Nerd.”

The alarm bells are blaring but for the life of him he can’t pin down why. His tired brain can only scream without giving a why. At the moment however, there’s a pretty girl who just called him cute and actually continued to flirt (he hopes she’s flirting) with him after dropping quotes of The Iliad.

“It’s Bellamy. Bellamy Blake.”

Her eyes go wide as saucers.

“Wait, Blake? Blake like-“

“BIG BRO YOU’RE HERE!”

He looks up and past Clarke’s shoulder to see Octavia rush out from the women’s restroom. She slaps him hard on the back when she arrives and is nothing but smiles.

“That’s for ditching yesterday big bro!” She chuckles a bit before taking notice of Clarke from across the table. “Oh, goody you two sat together. Well Bell, this is my roommate and new friend, Clarke. Clarke, this is my loving and overbearing big brother, Bellamy.”

Clarke’s eyes, which were full of light and laughter a moment before, close off and steel themselves in his direction. She pulls farther away from him and crosses her arms in front of her chest. In a manner of moments, they go from flirting to her looking at him like puke on the bottom of her shoe.

And he’s still mesmerized by her.

_Fuck._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's chapter two. I figured now would be the best time to drop the reasoning behind rule 3. I also wanted to show only Octavia's side of events. Clarke is quick to jump on her friend's side but even she backtracks and yields to some legit concerns Bell may have had. 
> 
> It was just a mess of a situation that would create an solid, "do not pass go" law between them despite when tempted. 
> 
> What do you think? Was Octavia in the wrong? Was Bell in the wrong? Or was the whole thing just fucked up?  
> What about that ending scene? Would you swoon if someone rattled off epic poetry to you? Leave your responses/opinions in the comment section below.
> 
> Also: EVERYONE GO TO NETFLIX AND WATCH VOLTRON LEGENDARY DEFENDERS! THE CREW WHO MADE AVATAR AND KORRA IS BEHIND THIS AND YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED


End file.
